Police Arrest Carjacking Suspects

LINDEN – Police arrested two suspects in an early-morning carjacking that took place in the area of East 19th Street this week.

Newark resident Curtis Hawkins, 18, and a 17-year-old minor who has not been identified because of his age were charged with carjacking, robbery and related weapons counts, authorities said.

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On Aug. 2 at 1 a.m., officers responded to a reported carjacking in the area of East 19th Street. A witness saw two men force a cab driver out of his vehicle and flee the area. The victim, a 32-year-old Linden man who works for Linden Yellow Cab, told police that he was sent to an East 19th Street address to pick up a fare.

When the driver arrived at the location, one suspect immediately approached the passenger door and threatened him with a gun, the victim told police. The cab driver was ordered to get out of the vehicle and give up his money, he told police. After the driver got out of his cab, a second suspect got into the car and the two robbers drove off, the victim told police.

Officers located the unoccupied taxi cab at the intersection of 16th and Clinton streets. Officers Daniel Tristao and Michael Rizzo saw two men who fit the description of the suspects walking an the 1100 block of South Wood Avenue. The officers stopped the suspects and recovered a .22 caliber revolver from Hawkins, according to police.

Hawkins and the 17-year-old were arrested after they were both positively identified at the scene, police said. Hawkins was being held at Union County Jail on $150,000 bail and the 17-year-old was remanded to Juvenile Detention.